The smartphones we can't wait for

Samsung Galaxy S4

Price: AT&T (16GB, $199.99; 32GB, $249.99).

Availability: Q2 on AT&T, Cricket, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon. Preorders for AT&T and U.S. Cellular start April 16.

The outlook: Samsung's latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, follows the major success of the GS3. It runs the latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, has plenty of bumps in hardware (like a bigger 5-inch screen and a quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor), and it piles on the software features.

LG Optimus G Pro

Price: TBD

Availability: Q2 in North America.

The outlook: Not only does the G Pro boast powerful quad-core specs, it also features the more common 16:9 aspect ratio on a vivid 5.5-inch full-HD IPS touch screen. In both looks and performance, it's the closest any handset comes to rivaling the reigning king of phablets, the Galaxy Note 2.

HTC One

Availability: For AT&T and Sprint, available April 19. T-Mobile available Spring 2013. Developer Edition available April 18.

The outlook: With a 4.7-inch 1080p LCD display, a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, and a 4-megapixel "UltraPixel" camera, the new HTC One is packed to the rafters with top-notch components. But the device isn't just technically advanced, it's also lovingly crafted from premium metals, too.

The outlook: Our CNET UK colleagues already gave the Xperia Z an Editors' Choice, and it's no wonder. The flagship handset boasts a number of high-end features including quad-core processing, a large 5-inch screen, and a 13-megapixel camera. But the most compelling of all features? Its slick design is also waterproof.

Nokia Lumia 521

The outlook: As a variant of the Lumia 520 we saw at MWC 2013, the 521 isn't the next signature phone from Nokia by any means. However, it's a budget-friendly handset equipped with a 5-megapixel camera and a 4-inch screen.

ZTE Grand S

Price: TBD

Availability: Launched in China Q1, confirmed to come to the U.S. afterward.

The outlook: During CES in January, ZTE made a big fuss over its Grand S and it's easy to understand why. As part of ZTE's high-end line of Grand Series handset, the Grand S sports a 5-inch full HD touch screen, which features 440ppi and is made of Corning Gorilla Glass. It also has a 1.7Ghz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor and a 13-megapixel camera.

Huawei Ascend Mate

The outlook: Huawei touts its Ascend Mate as one of the largest smartphones available, and it doesn't take much to see why. It has a whopping 6.1-inch HD display, making it a real handful. Additional features include Android 4.1.1, an 8-megapixel camera, and a huge 4,050mAh battery to power that bright screen.